Become a reviewer
Join our dedicated community of junior reviewers! Get a free book to review, have your review published on the site and if you're really lucky get noticed by the author too!
What Happened To You?
Book Review
He’s very good at balancing on the swing, I wish I could do that!
From Mum: Thank you so much for this book. We received it only yesterday, but have been reading it on repeat since then, Ila LOVES it!
When asking her if/what she enjoyed about it her response has been:
“Again, again! I really like it, he’s very good at balancing on the swing, I wish I could do that!”
Interestingly, she didn’t acknowledge the characters missing leg as something she wanted to ask ‘why’ about and was more focused on the illustrations indicating the thoughts or imagination of the children. Lots of “look Mummy, they’re pretending to be pirates now!” “Look you can see what they’re thinking…she thinks his leg fell off but that boy thinks it was a burglar…”
I have to say, I personally found the part at the back for adults really useful and clearly written, as I’ve often wondered how best to react in such a situation as the author describes.
About the Book
This picture book is all about a boy called Joe who gets a bit fed up when other children only seen interested in asking him about why he only has one leg.
Imagine you were asked the same question again and again throughout your life . . . You’d get fed up too, right?
This is the experience of one-legged Joe, a child who just wants to have fun in the playground . . . Constantly seen first for his disability, Joe is fed up of only ever being asked about his leg. All he wants to do is play Pirates. But as usual, one after the other, all the children ask him the same question they always ask, “What happened to you?”
This is a must-read book for parents and teachers to share with toddlers. It offers insight, promotes empathy, is a gateway to discussion and also gives the grown-ups some tips on how to handle and anticipate those inevitable but mortifying questions from curious little ones whose diplomatic and sensitivity skills still need refinement.
Author
James Catchpole
James Catchpole is a British children’s book author and literary agent known for his picture books such as What Happened to You? Drawing on his own experience of limb difference, Catchpole’s work aims to normalise disability and help children — disabled or not — understand difference with empathy and honesty.
Illustrator
Karen George
Karen George is a British illustrator and author who trained in fine art — she earned first-class honours followed by an MA at the Royal College of Art. She began her career painting film sets, but after winning the inaugural Waterstones “Picture This” competition in 2009, she moved into picture‑book illustration — working on titles such as Julia Donaldson’s Freddie and the Fairy and Wake Up Do, Lydia Lou!.
Today Karen writes and illustrates her own children’s books, and lives in Bristol.
Reviewer Profile
Ila, 3
- Reviews: 9
- Likes: monsters, dragons and tortoises
- Dislikes: prawns and pirates stealing treasure!
- Favourite book: There's a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
- Favourite Film: Ballerina
- Favourite Song: Rascal Flatts - Life is a Highway (from Cars)
Would you like to read the book too?
Find out more about the title by clicking on the button below
Why not order it from an indie bookshop close to home? Or, you’ll get a discount and make a small donation (£0.30) towards the cost of posting books to our reviewers via the link above
Alternatively, please visit your local library and enquire about its availability, if you can’t find it on the shelf
Happy Reading:)
